it’s a yak world at Shambhala Ranch… 

below is the one week old yak with its mother… 

this yak came up close and personal for a photo op… say cheese…

a yak yak here and a yak yak there….

and this is what Cici thinks about the yaks…

woof woof here and a woof woof there, here a woof, there a woof, everywhere a woof woof… 

did you ever see a baby Himalyan yak stand up for the first time and walk, well, i almost did…

woke up this morning to the sound of wild turkeys gobbling… then around 4 pm, another baby yak was born; one was born about a week ago… and this new one was very weak, people and yaks were hovering, taking photos, and one big yak seemed to take a liking to me, avoided his horns… getting pushed down into a pit did not appeal at all…

the baby was born in the hot sun and was moved to the shade, given water, and now, about 6 pm, the owners came and think that the baby may not make it… apparently, they are supposed to walk upright within half an hour of being born… the other baby is huge already… they were getting milk from the mama to give to the baby who still had not stood upright.

Shambhala Ranch truly is an incredible property on 140 acres and a welcome change from Ukiah and Santa Rosa, lots of greenery and beautiful views… the best way to get here, in my humble opinion, is to go to the coast and then take the road just north of Little River, which is Orr springs Road, it is nicer and less twisty and windy than the same road from Ukiah…  although the road from Ukiah is supposed to be shorter, that was not my experience. 

The cabin we are in is small, there is no a/c, nor mosquito netting or screen door, there is a fan that cools the air off, phone, TV and other modern amenities are in the main house… am able to get on the internet, this is a place for a relaxing getaway… 

The ranch is gated and fenced so cici can go off leash as long as she does not disturb the other animals… in that way, it is the dog friendliness place we have stayed at…  there are two pet friendly rooms, some people leave their pets while they go about their activities and the staff takes care of them… with treats, food and toys….

Personal touches that i love… the little handwritten signs everywhere that say glad you are here… thank you for being here… the essential oil soap in the bathroom… love the cool shower curtain and rug… looking out at the Tibetan yak pasture with lovely purple bluebell flowers… and green trees…

the funny thing is that it turns out that owner Stuart Marcus and I both went to the same high school, a year apart, Martin Van Buren in NYC. 

It is soooooooo peaceful and sooooooo hot, a record breaking 100+, time for a jump in the pond that you can swim in, there is also a hot tub to relax in. It’s quite a meditative environment, who could ask for anything more? 

well, cooler weather and a less twisty windy road to get in and out… 

Montgomery Woods State Park nearby is home to the tallest tree in the world. Also in close vicinity are hiking trails, lush gardens, and a  fruit tree orchard.  There are also multi-media rooms perfect for yoga and dance groups), if you are seeking a peaceful eco-friendly place to hold a retreat, wedding, seminar, workshop, party, reunion, girlfriend getaway or a romantic getaway, Shambhala Ranch just may be the venue for you.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yak

http://www.happy-nomads.nl/nepal-informatie/yak-nepal-himalaya.html

http://www.yaksinamerica.com/yaksinamerica/index.htm

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DwhMkGApdq4

just goes to show what giving dogs in shelters some training can do… make them adoptable… and giving prisoners another chance at life…  imagine having a child when you are 13 years old and still a child yourself…

http://swindlemagazine.com/issue12/tamar-geller/

Tamar Geller: The way wolves interact with each other—the way wolves train each other—is extremely different than the way people train dogs. Dogs have a wolf side, they also have a toddler part. You give two kids the same toy, and one of them is taking the toy away and body blocking the other. You see two dogs play, it’s the same thing. Dogs have to assess the pecking order without actually fighting. They need each one in the pack to help in the hunt, so if they hurt each other physically, it’s going to hurt themselves. The one with the control of the resources is the one in charge. I go to homes where people have behavioral problems with dogs, I see toys all over the floor—a free for all. What it means to the dog is that the owner loves them, but he’s not the leader.

You do not want to deal with aggression with force. Challenge [your dog] the way a wolf would, which is playing tug of war. This is the last sequence of the hunt, where they wrestle the animal down on the ground. The one who ends up with the food is the leader of the pack. It’s a game that looks very vicious—but it’s not because it’s got a lot of boundaries. So tug of war, when you follow the rules, can establish that you are the leader of the pack.

My [dog center] is phenomenal. It’s two stories, 6,000 square feet. We have the doggie lounge for the mellow dog upstairs. Downstairs we have the floors and the tunnels and the equipment. It’s so much freakin’ fun. We help a lot of dogs that have been abused by trainers, or not been socialized. They come here and they blossom. They start trusting people again, they start trusting dogs again.

I had to fight animal regulation. It cost me the price of a small house. [They] wanted me to divide dogs by size not by personality. I said, “So what? Because I’m five foot one, less than 100 pounds I’m not allowed to talk with people who are six foot seven?” I got an animal rights lawyer, and I got a political lawyer who helped me to work within the system. And you know what, of course I won.

I hate the word discipline and I hate the word obedience. I believe in manners. Who the heck am I to tell you how to raise your dog? I love dogs, but I tell you what—I love people. I say, “How can I make your relationship with your dog the best it could be? That’s my goal. Not to get your dog to fit into some kind of a box.

We all have the fairy tale. We think, My God! This will be the relationship that will fulfill me—whether it’s your Prince Charming, your brand new baby, or when you’re getting a puppy. When life gives challenges, most people would not give up on their children. Unfortunately a lot of people give up on their dog. I want people to have the reality check of, what does it mean to have any new relationship? You have the ideal, and then it’s going to be real life. You can be the best thing that could ever happen to your dog’s life. Like any relationship, it’s a give and take. We are so lucky that we have the love in us to give to dogs.

Everybody says, “Let’s whisper to our animals.” But what do they have to tell us? Let’s listen to what you, my precious dog, are trying to tell me—as opposed to me coming with blinders on, with agendas. Let’s try, all of us, to listen to our animals. That’s my privilege—the unbelievable privilege—of working with animals.

www.tamargeller.com

Cici has a new beau… from our undisclosed location we drove near to yosemite, to a little town called mariposa to visit a gal named Melinda who is building a healing center… the road was VERY tricky and windy up to her place from the town but from 99 to the 41 in fresno to the 49 it was quite lovely… very refreshing and inspiring to see green trees again…

when we got here, we were greeted by the welcoming committee… first, star bear, a very large dog (part Malamute and border collie) put his paws on the car and peeked in to say hi… then irene the hound dog said hello… jenny rose the lab joined in and then we made our way out of the car and harry met cici,  it was puppy love at first butt sniffing…

Harry is a six month old Queensland Heeler…  and cici is still a young gurl, so they bonded instantly, jawing, wrestling, licking and rolling in the dirt and there is quite a lot of that here… cici’s new halter is quite dusty now… she immediately jumped into the filthy pool and swam in the water.  really warmed the cockles of my heart. and i was greeted to find out that we would have to leave early this morning… a fine welcome…  I came here to find out about becoming a caretaker, I think not…

still, there are two yurts going up, a fabulous view from this mountain, cool fresh air and we had turkey burgers for dinner, after dinner entertainment was provided by harry and cici… and soon star bear wanted to get in on the action… jenny rose was the only one who did not seem to appreciate the attention that cici garnered from the two males… irene was not all that thrilled, either. 

we visited the yurt after dinner and all was fine until two neighbors dogs came along and looked like they would attack cici, we hightailed it through the garden, as a precaution and made our escape back to our tiny cabin… it was off to bed at about 8 but of course we did not actually fall asleep until about 3 am, and we got up around 6… cici does not seem to do well sleeping when windows and doors are open and she can see wildlife… star bears came and sat on our porch to protect us and cici wanted to play with him… and she was restless… there were two tiny beds, one a couch, and i thought she would sleep on that and i on the bed… she ran around, trashing the blankets, trying to get settled to no avail… then she decided to come visit me in my narrow little bed, plop she goes… we have not slept together in a tiny single bed since last year, she cradled my legs… then she was off again to the couch… then back to me at some point, where she cuddled my head… and took over the bed… i went to the outhouse, actually it’s a small bathroom with a compost toilet, and came back and there was cici in her usual place in the middle of the bed… the bed is a little high off the ground and i did not want her to jump off of it, so i tried to move her, finally got her and me where i wanted, cuddled in my arms, she was shaking slightly, and we finally fell asleep…  had some weird dreams…

this morning, we arose at the crack of dawn, and I went outside to go up to the main house to go to the bathroom, and the dogs greeted us good morning… star bear first, of course. then we had a nice breakfast, cici and harry played and chased cats and we were ushered on our way… 

we were going to hang out in Mariposa but I was utterly unimpressed (been there before, too) and decided to take the 140 to merced which I thought was madera… we had stayed in a motel there last year. got to merced and realized I was in a different place and decided to head up the 99 a bit and we got off in Turlock, saw a sign for a motel and they take pets, and here we are… my back will mend, nice to stay in a non dusty queen bed, with wireless internet and all of the amenities of modern life, a  tv, phone, etc.

we may go back to the coast in the morning, we shall see… for now, we will rest… cici needs a bath and she met a new friend at the gas station, where they have a taqueria and pizza place.  the pizza guy took care of her while I ran in to get a burrito… very nice… 

don’t forget Gone with the Wind… who played Bonnie Blue?

she only wanted to go out and out and out and out… we went to a lake and she ran up to the top of some hills and wanted to jump off some rocks to visit a fisherman but I did not let her do that … duh…

and then we went to visit and she got to lick everybody and then we went out a few dozen more times…

she met a little girl named Sophie, a real cutey about 3 years old, dressed up like a princess, and Sophie giggled when cici licked her feet and face… 

I took her out before we went to sleep and she was too enthralled with bugs and lizards to do her business…

so why did it surprise me when she woke me up at 1 am and had to go out?

she let me know by sticking her head under the bed and moaning… 

so we went out at 1 am and she did her business and i could not fall back to sleep and stayed up until 3 am… 

the joys of being a dog parent… 

so here is a new photo of my cutey mccute that i took yesterday, she was actually getting into posing for me so there is hope yet that she will become a doggie model… and earn her keep around here…  what do you think?

don’t forget to answer the burning question so that you can win this week’s free giveaway….  who played Bonnie Blue Butler in the movie gone with the wind? 

If you want to promote your pet friendly inn, let me know, perhaps I can help  you… win win win… for more info, visit this page… with helpful tips…  

http://celiasue.hecht.googlepages.com/innkeeperswelcome

Here’s our new free giveaway contest for the week…sponsored by Doggytug…Kelly now has an instructional video on how to use the toys… on the product page, upper right hand, click on the photo… 

http://Doggytug.com

Dottie the traveling bikini dog panties (you do remember Dottie) says: Answer this question and win… who played Bonnie Blue Butler in Gone with the Wind?  (hint: i recently had breakfast with her)… 

if no one gets the answer to that question, then the first person who names three of the nine inns I recently wrote about (in May 200 will win the free weekly giveaway contest…  so you’ve got two shots at winning a great goodie bag filled with wonderful doggytug toys… send us your answer before Friday, May 16, 2008… 

Doggytug toys are the tug toys that dogs love to play tug of war with…  just ask Lainie… who is Lainie you ask, check her out playing with her tug toy… from her free giveaway package… she is playing with the floatie that is for swimming with, by the way… 

http://olgathetravelingbraotherstuff.blogspot.com/

Happy Mother’s day… 

did you know that originally Mother’s Day was a day set aside for women for peace?

http://fabulously40.com/blog/1528/Mother-s-Day-is-not-just-about-flowersit-s-about-Peace-and-activism…/

from My Dog, the bug catcher and lizard stalker, everything sniffer, since I am her Mom… she thanks me because… 
1. Feeds me tripe, kangaroo and hot dog treats until I bark for more 

2. Snuggles and cuddles with me all night long and doesn’t mind when I push her off the bed, sit on her head or breathe into her face

3. Gives great chew toys and plays tug of war at the drop of a hat
4. Takes me on adventures to the beaches and dog parks
5. Puts me in the car (even when I don’t wanna get in) to stay in dog friendly inns and places where I can sniff grass, stalk bugs and eat in the same dining room as the humans
6. Sings silly songs to me like if you’re happy and you know it wag your tail
7. Doesn’t get too mad at me ever even when I slobber on her face, jump up on her friends and dirty the bed with sandy paws
8. Gives me lots and lots of kisses, belly rubs and massages
9. Makes a very convenient and comfy pillow
10. Loves me unconditionally

At Abigail’s B and B in Mendocino… 

http://www.whitegateinn.com/abigails.php

We had the whole house to ourselves thankfully the way cici was carrying on…  not sure if it’s Mendocino or cici is just whacking out, having a dog breakdown or what but she was pretty crazed yesterday with all of the dogs, cats and people around here. Abigail’s smells very fresh and not chemical like some places do. The feather bed is very comfy and also very fresh.

We stayed in the Drawing room downstairs. A large, very private sunny room with a view of the garden. It contains a queen sized four poster bed, a large closet, sitting area and full bath with shower/bath combination.

The wine and cheese spread at 5 pm was fabulous… there were different cheeses, two wines, olives, salami, rumaki, a hot dip with artichoke that was scrumptious, different kinds of crackers, and cookies. Slept well and so did cici. got her a new halter instead of her collar, which i like a lot.  she also needs a new stronger retractable leash… They have some nice toys and treats for the pups at the gift shop at the Whitegate Inn, bully sticks for $1 and squeaky toys. 

It was a little confusing to get to Abigail’s so here are the directions. Exit Highway One to Little Lake Road. Turn left on the second street which is Howard. Go two blocks to the Whitegate Inn on your left.  Go to the office, and they will check you in and direct you to Abigail’s which is just down the street . 

At breakfast, which was an egg souffle, some banana bread and fresh fruit, I met a family from the Netherlands and several couples from the Bay area.  after I had breakfast, I came back to the car and cici was shaking a lot, so i decided it would be good to walk her around a bit. 

We went to Evergreen Barn which is around the corner and has pet supplies. She threw up at Evergreen, there were two dogs there that she could not play with so we left… the woman there was kind and suggested I get her some rice. Did some errands and drove north up the coast, a bit twisty and windy but beautiful, a little like driving to Big Sur… we stopped at a beach along the way and got out… and cici had a great time running around getting all of her pent up energy run off, so much fun getting all sandy and wet… she finally sat down so then i took her back into the car and we drove the rest of the way up to Westport… it is a tiny little town, smaller than Little River which is saying a lot…

We looked for signs to the Howard Creek Inn and Farm and found it and drove in the driveway passed some sheep grazing along the grass. 

Howard Creek Ranch Inn is an historic, 60 acre, ocean front farm bordered by miles of beach and mountains on the beautiful Mendocino Coast.  Charles (Sunny) and Sally have been working on the Howard Creek Ranch for the last 20 years. They met, fell in love and bought the property from people who had a commune on the land. Howard Creek Ranch is a Mendocino County Registered Historic Site nominated to the Federal Register of Historic Places.

http://www.howardcreekranch.com/history.html

The Ranch has farm animals, nine cats, award-winning gardens, fireplaces/wood stoves, a 75 foot swinging foot bridge over Howard Creek, hot tubs, on-site hiking, sauna, 1000 year old redwoods, and horseback riding on the beach or in the mountains.

Accommodations include cabins, suites and rooms furnished with antiques, large comfortable beds, and handmade quilts with views of the ocean, mountains, creek or gardens. 

Sunny and his wife Sally came here in 1973 and renovated the old building and built new buildings with some modern amenities of Internet and TV videos of old PBS shows and Star Trek… wireless was intermittent in my room… There also is no phone in the room. Atrium B&B and Abigail’s also had no phone in the room. The Little River Inn, Pacific Mist Inn, Surf Motel and Pine Beach Inn all had phones in the room.  If you want to get away from TV and Internet, Howard Creek is a good place to disconnect.

There is a deli in town for food for lunch and dinner, or you can bring your own. The market/deli is not like the one in Little River, I asked for Chicken Teriyaki and got some hot spicy Indian food instead, I did not know until I got back here. I also brought some hot dogs and breakfast is at 9 a.m. in the dining room. 

Breakfast was the heartiest breakfast ever, delicious… eat until stuffed, lots of portions… strawberry banana pancakes, whipped cream, fresh juice, apple granola muffins, turkey bacon, fresh fruit and edible flowers, spinach and cheese quiche, and the best mint tea ever, fresh from the garden… the gardens are spectacular, gorgeous flowers… and it’s soooo peaceful…  the antiques are real, too… 

The ambiance is very peaceful and relaxing and rustic, and very down homey. You can walk to the beach from here and there is a community living room. We stayed in the Walden room.  It is quite large, with a fridge, sink, coffee pot, hanging plants…  deep rich brown wood walls and reddish brown tile floor. 

I had hoped that Cici would be mellow from her run on the beach, but she was up all night, nosing around sniffing everything. We took a few walks and met the other people staying at the farm. It is lovely to be out in the country a hop skip and a jump from the beach. There is a nice grassy area to relax, sunbathe, and barbecue. You must keep your dog on leash at all times so as not to disturb the animals.

If you stay in the Redwood Suite, there is a beautiful view of the ocean from the upstairs bedroom loft and downstairs… if you stay in the Walden room and people are upstairs in the community room, you can hear them walk around up there. There are 12 rooms, four of which are pet friendly. There is a Beach house, and a cabin, which have ocean views, too. 

Visitors come back to the farm on their birthdays, anniversaries and other special occasions. Some notables include billionaire entrepreneurs, celebrities, and regular folks from cities near and far. the inn is non-smoking as were most of the inns I stayed at this trip.

Takes about five hours to get to San Francisco, Tomorrow we will travel to Branscomb Road to go across to the 101 and go south to SF. 

Branscomb Road takes about an hour, you get onto 101 (and don’t necessarily know it) and you are above Willits… it was easier than the 128 and took less time and was nice and scenic… 

San Francisco was a whole other matter… the best thing that happened was I found a way OUT of SF easily and fast, by not knowing where I was going… I got off the 19th and had a stop at Geary and 5th. Afterwards, I got onto 19th Avenue, it dead ended and I proceeded towards the 1, the beach and took Hwy 1 south to the 280… easy… no getting lost and driving along the beach, no traffic either… 

We were supposed to stay by the airport but that did not work out so we went to Gilroy and Monterey beach… now we are at a secret location near Lancaster, CA… it is a very nice place is all I can say…  the Mystery and Adventures continue…

Walden room at Howard Creek Inn 

We slept well and Cici’s much better…she did throw up last night, but this morning seems her happy self, wanting to say hi to everyone that goes by and lick their feet… back to normal…

Today, we are going back to Little River, we just love that town, to the Little River Inn. 

Tomorrow, we will stay, for the first time, in the town of Mendocino. And Tuesday, we will be leaving this area a little bit and go north about 30 minutes up to a town called Westport. Wednesday, we are supposed to meet someone in the big city, San Francisco, and stay overnight near the airport, in a city I used to live in called Burlingame at the Crowne Plaza Hotel. I was surprised to find out that they are pet friendly. 

To Market 

the market/deli in Little River is a wonderful place to eat… They gave me free dogs treats, and have a wonderful selection of foods from enchiladas to salads, spinach spanokapita, egg rolls, sandwiches, cheeseburgers and more… 

 Little River Inn

Everyone needs to be pampered every once in awhile. The Little River Inn is just the place to indulge your senses, unwind, and relax. I’ll tell you why. When you go up the driveway to the Little River Inn, you get a sweeping sense of history and tradition. Just as the trees have deep roots in the earth, the Little River Inn has been here for almost 70 years… six generations. And there are a lot of reasons why. The family. The food. The customer service. Da views, da gorgeous views of the Pacific Ocean. The pet friendliness. Visitors come here year after year, generation after generation to celebrate holidays, anniversaries, birthdays and other special occasions. 

Cici made friends with the dog next door, a poodle mixed with Jack Russell… those poodles are sure getting around… seems like every day you hear about another poodle mix, poodle lab, poodle cocker spaniel, poodle terrier, etc. 

Family

In 1850’s, Silas Coombs, a lumberman from Maine built a family home. In 1864, he married Margaret Boyd, they raised four children, including twin girls, Cora and Margaret. The twins grew up in Little River. Ole Hervilla grew up in a boardinghouse run by his Finnish/Swedish immigrant family in Utah. He came to Fort Bragg to join his brother and ran the Windsor Hotel. He married Cora Coombs in 1939 and they purchased the Little River home from her parents and on May 27, 1939, opened the Little River Inn.   The inn has become known for its old fashioned family hospitality…  Some of the staff members have worked at the Inn for 30+ years. Now, Cally Dym runs the Inn. She grew up in Petaluma, went to Columbia University, lived in New Orleans, Colorado and makes ongoing contribution to the community including the boys and girls club, animal organizations, and other charities. 

Cammie Conlon played Bonnie Blue Butler, the doomed only child of Rhett Butler and Scarlett O’Hara, in the 1939 classic movie Gone With the Wind when she was just 4 years old. She remembers that she loved the pony and said that Clark Gable was very kind to her. She only had two scenes with Vivien Leigh and one of them was cut.  Cammie and I had a delicious breakfast together and she regaled me with interesting tales of the Inn and the family. 

Eco Friendly

Solar panels, recycling, composting, and more innovations to come. 

Food

I had three of the Inn’s specialties… Crab Pot Pie and the Olallaberrie Pie for dessert for dinner. Makes me want to sing that pie song from the movie Michael. Pie pie I love pie my oh my.  Fresh picked berries…Fresh tasty ingredients. the Olallaberrie Pie is made from Calli’s grandmother’s original recipe. yum-o as Rachael Ray would say.  For breakfast, I had Ole’s favorite breakfast, his Swedish pancakes, two eggs and sausage. Quite delicious, and a nice hearty and light way to start the day.

Customer service

check-in was prompt, easy and friendly. When we arrived at our cabin, waiting for us were several very nice touches… a doggie bowl and treats for Cici. A bag filled with towels and sheets to put on the furniture. A  book about the history of the Inn along with a handwritten note and information package. Dinner and breakfast were superb.

Room at the Inn

Deliciously comfortable bed that I stretched out in, a jacuzzi tub, a large screen TV with cable, wireless internet, a fireplace, fridge, and da view da gorgeous view… through the glass doors and the deck, I could see the ocean waves gently lapping away. 

Pet friendliness

Susan (Calli’s mother) rescued three premarin horses that are kept in a beautiful green fenced area across from the Inn, behind the market/deli… Dogs and cats and other pets are welcome at the Inn.  Below are some of the pet friendly opportunities happening at the Inn currently

Yes, Dorothy, Toto Too

This package includes:

Two nights in a luxurious room with a fantastic ocean view

AND

A day at Doggie Day Camp for your pet

ENJOY A WINE TOUR, A STROLL ON THE BEACH OR A LLAMA TREK

 take a day to explore the redwoods, ride the Skunk Train or shop in the village.

This package is available Tuesday through Saturday nights only.

The rate for this package is based on a two night minimum, double occupancy, and

ranges from $472-$580 depending on your choice of accommodation.

Fourth of July Pups on Parade 

And the Little River Inn’s official dog Rosie welcomes other pups to join her in the upcoming July 4th Pup Parade with a two night, July 3 and 4 stay at the Inn.. dozens of dogs will walk along Main Street, receive a red white and blue kerchief and transportation to the parade from the Inn. Call 1888-INN-LOVE to make your reservation. Or go to http://www.littleriverinn.com 

10 dog friendly things to do at the Pacific Mist Inn…

http://pacificmistinn.blogspot.com/

Mendocino Coast Botanical Gardens:

http://www.gardenbythesea.org/visitor/

The botanical gardens feature indigenous plants, including the native rhododendrons that blanket the area. Manicured formal gardens, a dense coastal pine forest, fern-covered canyons, diverse plant collections, and flower-filled coastal bluffs overlooking the blue Pacific Ocean. Located on 47 acres that lie between California’s scenic Highway One and the Pacific Ocean, includes canyons, wetlands, coastal bluffs, and a closed-cone pine forest. A moderate climate grows a wide range of tender species which cannot survive the more extreme heat or cold that occurs in other locations. 

We saw incredibly beautiful  rhododendrons of many hues, white, blue, purple, pink trumpet, red, peach, white pearl, white swan, blue peter, president roosevelt and took a lovely walk to the beach/bluffs. You can take your dog on a leash and you could probably picnic with your dog, it says the trail is steep to the cliffs but it was not that strenuous… you go through a gate, and cici enjoyed stalking bugs every step of the way. The long walk did not tire her out as much as I’d hoped, even though we walked about an hour… she still had energy left to play with Gracie, the dog at the Atrium B&B. She ran around the yard, and greeted people (lick lick lick)… 

We stayed in the lovely, cozy and comfy quilt room (one of three pet friendly rooms) with a fireplace, very comfy bed…while I had breakfast of mushroom cheese omelet, fresh fruit and fresh baked banana bread, Cici played outside in the yard with Gracie.  

The Atrium B&B is at the north end of Fort Bragg… http://www.atriumbnb.com/

Innkeepers Mary, Gail and Joanna Jenson created the dog park… McDog park on Maple. It took about two years to bring the park into fruition. And came about because of their commitment and dedication and with the assistance of the community, the city and the Parks and Recreation Department. The park has a small dog area and a large dog area, it is entirely fenced and quite a nice size with grass. Soon, they will have a water fountain for the dogs.

Every year there are a few festivals including the Huckleberries and the Hounds, the oldest Ugly Dog contest, and several dog parades and costume parties for the K9’s. 

Cici played with about 6-7 dogs at the dog park, and the people and dogs were really friendly (unlike the dogs and owners in Carson City, Nevada)… there was a dog named Zelda, two goldens (huge funny guys), a hound dog, a few others… unfortunately, one dog ruined Cici’s day… I had a bad feeling when I saw the dog and sure enough, the minute this dog came inside the park, she and Cici got into it… it was difficult to pull them apart, the owner finally got his dog away from Cici and I left, shaken to the core. Cici’s mouth got chewed up a little bit, it was very scary.  She has not let me look at her much. I was able to go to PAWS, and sat in the car for a bit to calm down, take some Rescue Remedy Bach Flowers for shock.  Got Cici a treat and some dog food, which she gobbled up. Then I was thinking what can I put on her mouth, and thought I needed an Aloe Vera plant. We drove by a nursery and I asked them. The woman there at Parker and Jensen I think it was called, gave me a free aloe vera plant. I tore off a leaf and put some on Cici’s mouth.  Then I went to the pharmacy and got some hydrogen peroxide to clean the two wounds on her mouth. She was not happy about it but it made me feel better. 

There is a Humane Society here… http://www.MendoHumane.com/?cat=18

Now we are relaxing at the Surf Motel and Gardens ($49 to $250 plus $10 pet fee per night). This is a very nice AAA motel, they even have beautiful gardens and a pet exercise area, similar to the one at the dog park, only smaller. Each room has a fridge and microwave, cable TV, wireless internet, coffee pot and complimentary continental breakfast in the morning (coffee, tea, hot chocolate, fresh fruits and danish). This motel is at the south end of town and it is quiet. The staff is friendly and helpful.  The Harvest market is next door, this seems like a Whole Foods type of market. Cici and I slept well and love being near the beach.  Just the relaxation we needed after the day we had… 

http://www.surfmotelfortbragg.com/Surf-Activities.html